1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a visual system for a vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle or a van, or a vehicle where a direct or indirect view of the region behind the vehicle through a rear window of the vehicle by means of a mirror is impossible.
2. Description of the Related Art
DE 100 17 072 A1 relates to a vehicle rear view monitoring system, in particular a rear view monitoring system for detecting another vehicle, which approaches the driver's own vehicle during a driving operation of the vehicle, by means of an image captured by a camera that is mounted in/to the vehicle, and for outputting a warning signal to the driver.
In motor vehicles comprising a rear window, it is common to provide an inside rear mirror by means of which a driver seated on the driver's seat may view the area behind the vehicle without having to turn around. In case he wishes a direct view, e.g. when driving in reverse direction, this is also possible by looking through the rear window.
Also for commercial vehicles or vans, or for vehicles that are not provided with a rear window, or where the rear window is temporarily obstructed, so that a direct view of the region behind the vehicle is impossible, an optimum view of the region behind the vehicle is desirable for reasons of safety. As the view through the rear portion of the vehicle is obstructed or impossible, mirrors are usually provided on the side of the vehicle so as to allow for a best possible view of the region behind the vehicle.
The indirect view of the region behind the vehicle by means of exterior mirrors is, however, often insufficient in commercial vehicles or vehicles without rear window, and blind spots exist. On the other hand, particularly when reversing or when driving a commercial vehicle towards a loading ramp or the like, or during (reverse) parking operations with a vehicle that is not provided with a rear window, it is desirable, not only for reasons of safety but also for efficient handling of the loading and unloading or of a parking operation, for enabling the driver a good view of the region behind the vehicle at any time, even when the driver is seated on the driver's seat in a normal position, in order to facilitate reverse driving and in order to allow the driver an optimum view of the region behind the vehicle, so that he may, for example, reliably recognize possible obstacles in this region.
In order to provide an optimum view of the region behind the vehicle, for example a divided exterior mirror is used in vehicles where no direct view through the rear portion is possible; in this divided exterior mirror, besides the usual exterior rear view mirror, a second mirror or mirror segment serves for observing the so-called blind spot region. These mirrors are usually smaller and often only allow for viewing a comparatively small portion of the blind spot. Moreover, as it is a wide-angle mirror, this mirror often has larger curvature, which results in a distorted image compared to the common exterior mirror and makes it difficult for an inexperienced driver to correctly estimate distances or relative positions of possible obstacles in the depicted region, or to recognize obstacles.
Thus, rear-view camera systems are known by means of which the region behind the vehicle is captured and displayed to the driver of a vehicle on a display unit. Here, also the blind spot region behind the vehicle can be covered.
Such rear-view camera system is, for example, disclosed in DE 10 2012 005 277 B3. The vehicle rear-end visual system described in DE 10 2012 005 277 B3 comprises a capturing unit that is adapted to acquire images of a region behind the vehicle. The rear-end system further comprises an image processing unit, where the image captured by the capturing unit is superimposed with a vehicle reference so that a virtual image overlaid with a vehicle reference is generated and displayed in the driver's compartment of the vehicle by means of a display unit.
Rear-view camera systems as known from the prior art are usually designed for viewing the close range behind the vehicle and their resolution and image portion usually does not allow for estimating the distance and speed of distant vehicles or to depict them at all.
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a visual system for a vehicle, wherein the region behind the vehicle, which region is relevant for the respective driving situation, is visible in all driving situations like, e.g. forward travel or reverse travel.
In the description of the present invention, all information about direction relate to a motor vehicle that is moving forward. In sideward direction thus means the direction along the vertical direction with regard to a direction vector for forward driving of the vehicle, and corresponds to the left-right-direction.